At Last
by BlackRoseOnFire
Summary: Kay has moved on and is no longer obsessed with Miguel. Can she forget about her love for him? Or will it resurface? COMPLETE
1. Engaged

**Chapter One: Engaged**

**A/N: A new story for my Passions fans. R & R**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of Passions' characters; however, I do own Jack Mason.**

"Simone! Can you believe it? I'm finally getting married!" Kay yelled to her best friend. She was waving her hand in Simone's face to show her the ring. "The wedding is in a week!"

"That soon?" Simone said skeptically.

"Well, we've been dating for a year and I know that I love him. Maria loves him too. She's two years old now, and needs a father who will always be there for her. Besides, I couldn't wait any longer!"

"I am glad that you're happy and finally over Miguel," she told Kay.

"I am too. Miguel was never really there for me or Maria. I know that he sends money to us, but all those night Maria couldn't sleep, or she was sick, I was the only one there for her."

"And you'll be moving out of Tabitha's! It's so creepy here," Simone said, shuddering. Tabitha had taken Endora out for a walk so the girls could talk alone.

"I know, but this has been my home for so long. Tabitha and Endora have been our family. I think I'll actually miss it here."

"Well, Jack has a really nice house and it's only a few blocks from here," Simone pointed out.

"That's true," Kay agreed. Then the doorbell rang. Kay stood up to get it but before she got to the door, Tabitha burst in, pushing Endora's stroller, and dragging their guest in behind her.

"I met Jack here ringing my doorbell," Tabitha said as she put Endora into the playpen. "Very charming fellow. I don't know why I haven't met him before now," she commented.

"Hey you," Kay said to her fiancé. She gave him a hug and kissed him on the lips. Jack was 5'10" tall. He had brown hair and blue eyes.

"You were right Kay, he is gorgeous," Tabitha said. He blushed slightly. "Just as you described him to be."

"Uh thanks Ms…"

"Just call me Tabitha," she told him.

"Thanks Tabitha," he said.

"You're quite welcome. Now would anyone fancy some tea?" she asked.

"Sure Tabitha, that would be great," Simone said, trying to get rid of her.

"Yeah, thanks," Kay agreed. Tabitha went into the kitchen to make the tea, leaving the three of them in privacy once again. _But if I know Tabitha, she's most likely listening in on our conversation anyway,_ Kay thought to herself.

"So…one week huh? That doesn't give us much time to get everything set," Simone said to Jack.

"Actually, ever since our first date, I've been asking Kay all kinds of questions. Like what her favorite flowers are, and I actually had her describe her perfect wedding to me. I remembered it all, and I've been planning it for three months now. I knew since that first date that I wanted to marry her."

"Isn't that so sweet?" Kay asked Simone.

"Yes! I wish someone would do that for me! Now, tell me all about it…" Simone said.

Jack began to tell her every aspect of the wedding. As he did, Kay was thinking about a conversation she'd had with Miguel when he called after her first date with Jack.

**Flashback -1 year earlier-**

"_Hey Miguel, what's up? I have so much to tell you," Kay said excitedly._

"_Before you start, how's Maria? I miss her so much," Miguel said._

"_She's great. But I wanted to tell you that I met someone. His name is Jack Mason."_

"_Wow I'm really happy for you Kay. How'd you meet him?" he asked._

"_He just moved here and he works with my dad at Harmony PD. He's an officer but he might be promoted to Detective. And I never told you that I got a new job! I work at the police department. That's how I met him really. My dad got me a job there filing paperwork and it's so much better than my old one. Anyway, we just went on our first date tonight. He took me to a romantic dinner and then we went back to his house for coffee. And the best part is that Maria loves him. He met her before our date, and he's coming to her birthday party next week. Which reminds me, are you going to be there?" Kay asked after her explanation._

"_I'm sorry Kay, but I can't. I'm just too far away to get there in time. I'll send her a present," he said._

"_Miguel! It's your daughter's first birthday and you're just going to send her a present? Nowhere is too far away to be there for your child. Not to mention the fact that no flight in the world will take a week," Kay said, getting angry._

"_I said sorry! What else can I do? I just caught up to Charity and I don't want to lose her."_

"_You know what Miguel? Sometimes sorry isn't good enough. Especially when you're saying it to your one-year-old daughter who can't understand why her father left her!" Kay yelled and slammed down the phone._

That's the last time she ever talked to him. She ignored his calls from then on, deciding that she didn't need him. Eventually he stopped calling, but he sent a letter to them every month. Kay took the money out of the letters and threw the rest away. Now she didn't even need his money, and would return the entire letter to him without opening it. Things had gone so great with Jack and now they were getting married. Kay couldn't believe her luck. She didn't need Miguel. He could go be with Charity for all she cared.

"Isn't that right baby?" Jack asked Kay. She was lost in her thoughts and hadn't heard a word he had said.

"I'm sorry, what?" Kay asked.

"You told me you didn't want to change your last name when we got married, and you didn't want to change Maria's," he said.

"Yeah that's right. Did you tell Simone what you were going to do about that?"

"I was gonna let you tell her."

"Oh, right. So Simone, he said that he's gonna change his last name to Bennet because he never liked his last name anyway," Kay explained.

"That is so romantic!" Simone gushed. "So tell me, am I going to be the maid of honor?"

"Well, I was planning on that, I just have to talk to Jessica and see if she's okay with just being a bridesmaid," she told her. "Jack, we have to go tell my family about the wedding and get the invitations out! Sorry Simone, but we have to go now!" Kay said and grabbed Jack's hand, dragging him out the door behind her.

"And I have to get myself out of this creepy house," Simone said out loud to herself. She could have sworn she heard evil laughter coming from the basement, but she decided that her mind was playing tricks on her. She hurried home to tell her dad the news.

**A/N: Sorry that it's pretty short!**


	2. Through The Witch's Bowl

**Chapter Two: Through The Witch's Bowl**

"What are you doing Tabitha?" Kay asked her roommate as she walked into the kitchen. She had just finished putting Maria to bed, after sending out all of the wedding invitations with Jack. Almost everyone in Harmony was invited, except for Alistair and Beth, who were both in jail for kidnapping Sheridan and stealing Marty, not to mention attempted murder a few dozen times. Julian and Fox were the heads of the Crane Estate.

"Oh, I'm just looking in my bowl here. I love to watch our residents suffer. Gwen's sitting in jail, convicted of the charges Theresa put against her. And there's Chad, crying over his baby. Whitney finally took him back, but Chad's still determined to be with his half-sister," Tabitha was explaining. "Oh Kay! You better come look at this!" she said and gasped.

"What is it?" Kay asked, approaching the bowl. "Is that Miguel?" she asked, squinting.

"Indeed it is. And he's at a funeral…"

"That's Charity!" Kay yelled, surprised. "She's dead!"

"Oh this is wonderful news!" Tabitha said excitedly, rubbing her hands together. "I don't have to worry about those two getting together anymore." She laughed. "Isn't this great Kay?"

"No, not really. I'm over Miguel, and as much as I hated Charity for taking him from me, I didn't really want her dead," she said, sighing. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table.

"Well, I for one think it's time to celebrate!" Tabitha said. She covered her bowl and pulled a cake out of the refrigerator. Using her magic she finally gained back, she wrote the words 'Happy Deathday Charity' on it. "Would you like a slice?" she asked Kay, who gave her a disgusted look.

"No thanks. I think I'm gonna go to bed," she said, still shocked by what she had seen.

"Goodnight then. More cake for us!" she said to Endora, who was sitting at the table in a booster seat. "Here you go my dear," she said, placing a large piece in front of her. She used her magic to put some music on and happily ate her cake.

Meanwhile, Kay was in her room pacing back and forth. _I know that I love Jack, but what if Miguel comes back again?_ She thought. _Wait, he won't come back. He knows I've moved on, maybe he'll move on too. I just don't know what I'll do if he does show up. I haven't talked to him in a year, but when I see him, I know that something might happen to make me love him again. I can't let that happen!_ She lay down on top over her covers, not even bothering to change into pajamas. She fell fast asleep, and into a dream that involved both Miguel and Jack.

**Kay's Dream:**

"_Miguel! I'm so glad that you're back! I've missed you so much!" Kay yelled to him as he got off the train._

"_Kay! I can't believe I'm finally seeing your beautiful face after all this time," he said and kissed her._

"_What are you doing kissing my fiancé?" an angry Jack asked Miguel. He had just walked up behind Kay, holding Maria by the hand. Miguel ignored his question._

"_Thanks for taking care of Kay and Maria while I was gone, but I can take her now," he said, reaching for Maria._

"_No you won't," Jack said. "Kay and I are getting married and Maria is my daughter now. I've adopted her." He let go of Maria's hand and ushered her towards Kay._

"_You can't have her! She's my daughter!" he yelled and swung at Jack but missed. _

_Jack became angrier and punched Miguel in the stomach. Miguel doubled over and Jack punched him again, this time in the face. Within minutes, the two were struggling on the ground._

"_Jack! Miguel! Stop that this minute!" Kay yelled at them. At the sound of her voice and Maria's crying, both men stopped fighting instantly and looked up at Kay. _

"_You have to choose one of us Kay," Jack said. "Are you going to choose me, your fiancé, or that scumbag that left you and Maria for some other woman?"_

"_Kay, choose me, your high school sweetheart and the father of your child," Miguel said, a pleading look in his eyes._

Kay shot up out of bed, awakened from her terrible nightmare. "This is exactly what I'm afraid might happen," she said out loud to herself. "Oh Miguel, please don't come back," she whispered. She couldn't fall back asleep after that, so she picked up the phone next to her bed and dialed a number. After three rings, he picked up.

"Kay? What time is it?" Jack yawned into the phone.

"I'm sorry that I woke you up. I just need to talk to someone," she said. "I'm having some doubts." Once Jack heard her say that, she had his full attention. He was instantly wide awake.

"What's wrong babe?" he asked.

"Are you sure you want to marry me?" Kay asked him. She was obviously upset.

"Of course I do! Why would I have asked you if I didn't want to?" Jack reassured her.

"I don't know, I've just been thinking. I can't give you children. I know that you want a big family, but what if it's just me, you, and Maria. And she's not even your child," she explained.

"Maria is my daughter in my eyes. The adoption has been finalized and I'm legally her father now. And we can adopt other children together. Kay, I love you, and that's all that matters to me."

"You're right. I'm just being stupid. I'll let you get back to sleep now. I love you too and I'll see you tomorrow," she said and hung up the phone. She felt much better and fell right asleep as soon as she rolled over.

* * *

Before Kay met Jack for lunch, she rushed over to the town hall with Maria. She wanted to do something that she should have done a long time ago. She went through a room on the left and up to the desk in the middle. 

"Hello, I need to make a name change on a record," she said to the man at the front desk.

"And what's the name?" he asked.

"Maria Ivy Lopez-Fitzgerald. I have her birth certificate right here, and my license."

"Glad to see you've come prepared. I just need to find the file, I'll be right back," he said, and walked away into a room behind him. After a minute or so, he came back with a folder in his hand. "Okay, I'll need you to fill out this paper, sign it at the bottom, and you'll be all set," he said, handing her a form. Kay filled out the form as fast as she could and handed it back to the man. "You're all set," he told her as he looked over the paper. "And you're name is Maria Ivy Bennet now," he said to Maria.

"Thank you so much," Kay said as she left. "Let's go see daddy Maria."

"Yay! Daddy!" Maria said. They weren't going to see Miguel. According to Maria, Jack was her dad.

* * *

Kay laughed as she watched Jack play with Maria. They were at the park having a picnic, and he was chasing her around in the grass. 

"Hi Kay," she heard someone say. She turned around to see Ethan holding Jane, who was now eight months old.

"Hey Ethan. Where's Theresa?" she asked.

"Oh she's over there playing with Little Ethan," he answered and pointed them out. "But I wanted to talk to you and see if you were okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I guess you haven't talked to Miguel yet then…" Ethan trailed off. "He called Theresa last night."

"No because he doesn't talk to us anymore. What happened? Just tell me," Kay insisted.

"It's Charity. She…Kay I'm so sorry but she was in an accident. And she didn't make it," he finished. Kay covered her mouth and cried fake tears. She knew about it already of course, but Ethan didn't know that Tabitha was a witch. No one did.

"I can't believe it," she said.

"I'm sorry Kay. Do you need some time alone?" he asked his sister.

"No, that's okay. You can sit down if you want. Did Miguel happen to mention if he is coming back to Harmony?" Kay asked him.

"He didn't say anything about it. Listen Kay; if he does come back, you have to remember that you're with Jack. I know you loved Miguel, but you should stick with the man you love, and I know you love Jack. I can tell. I put Theresa and Gwen through too much, don't do it to them," he lectured her.

"Ethan, I never said any of that was going to happen. The difference here is that both Theresa and Gwen loved you, and always will. Miguel doesn't love me, and I don't love him anymore either. He abandoned his family to go after Charity. He didn't even come to any of Maria's birthday parties. And I'll tell you this: he's not going to see Maria at all if he comes back. She's not his daughter anymore."

"What do you mean by that? Of course she's his daughter…"

"The adoption has been finalized and Jack is her dad now. He's the only dad she's ever known. We're getting married Ethan," she said.

"Congratulations, but Miguel is gonna be heartbroken when he finds out about the adoption," Ethan told her.

"I'm sorry if he is, but he shouldn't have left us. You and Theresa have to come to the wedding. It's on Saturday. You should be getting the invitation today," Kay said.

"Saturday! But Kay, it's Tuesday right now. I better get Theresa and take her shopping for a dress then. I'll talk to you later okay?" he said as he got up.

"Yeah. Thanks for keeping me company Ethan." She stood up and gave him a hug. As soon as he walked away, Jack and Maria came running over. "Are you two ready to go?" she asked them. "We have to go get a dress for the flower girl."

"Yay Mommy! Dress time!" Maria yelled. Kay picked her up and Jack collected all the picnic stuff. They got into their car and drove off to take their daughter shopping.

**A/N: Yeah, this story's not as good as my Degrassi ones, but it'll get better. It is also going to be a pretty short story. Not many chapters. Review! **


	3. Too Late

**Chapter Three: Too Late**

"Can you believe it Simone? I'm getting married today!" Kay squealed like a child.

"No, I can't. You look so beautiful in that dress," Simone complimented her.

"Thanks."

"Yeah Kay, you do look beautiful," her sister told her.

"Thank you Jess. Are you sure you don't mind Simone being the Maid of Honor?" Kay asked.

"I'm sure! But I'm going to make you be the Maid of Honor at my wedding," Jessica said, laughing. Kay's bridesmaids were Jessica and Whitney. Jack's best man was Ethan, who would walk with Simone (since she was the maid of honor), and then Fox was going to walk with Whitney, and Luis with Jessica. Fox and Whitney were back together, even after she told everyone the truth about her son. Chad moved away from Harmony, taking the baby with him. Luis offered to walk with Jessica because she didn't have a boyfriend. Maria was the flower girl, and Marty the ring bearer. Just then there was a knock on the door.

"If you're not Jack, you can come in!" Kay yelled. The door opened and her dad appeared.

"The music's starting, you need to get going," Sam announced.

"Okay, Simone, can you show Maria and Marty where to go?" Kay asked.

"Sure," she told her. "Let's go you two." They left the room, followed by Jessica and Whitney, and all of them met up with the guys to walk down the aisle.

"I can't believe my baby is getting married," Kay's father said.

"Dad…" she started to complain.

"I can remember the day you were born like it was yesterday," he told her.

"Dad I have to go!" Kay said, dragging him out of the room. They linked arms, and walked through the huge double doors into the aisle. They walked in sync with the music until they reached Jack. Sam kissed Kay on the cheek, let her go, and shook Jack's hand.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…" the minister began to say. Kay didn't listen to anything he said, she just waited for the part where she would get to say 'I do.'

"Jackson Alijah Mason, do you take Kay to be your lawfully wedded wife; to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" the minister asked.

"I do," Jack said.

"And Kay Elizabeth Bennet, do you take Jack to be your lawfully wedded husband; to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I…" she started to say.

"Kay! Wait!" someone yelled from the back of the church. She spun around to see who it was.

"Miguel?" she asked, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Don't do it Kay! Don't marry him, I love you!" Miguel yelled, walking closer to the altar. He looked out of breath, as if he had just run from the train station.

"It's too late Miguel." Everyone stared in awe at the two. Kay turned back around and noticed that the minister was looking at Miguel. "Excuse me," she said to him, and he looked back at her. "I do," she finally finished.

"You may now kiss the bride," he said to Jack. The two of them kissed and everyone cheered. When Jack and Kay turned around to walk out of the church, Miguel was gone. They walked to a limo with a 'Just Married' sign on the back, and drove away. They were on their way to the reception.

* * *

"Congratulations you two!" Simone yelled as Jack and Kay walked into the reception.

"Yeah, uh, congrats," Miguel said, appearing at her side.

"What are you doing here Miguel?" Kay asked him.

"Nice to finally meet you Jack," he said, ignoring Kay's question. They shook hands and Miguel walked away, pretending that nothing had happened.

"Well that was weird," Jack commented.

"Tell me about it," Kay agreed. "I'll be right back okay?" She walked over to Miguel.

"Hey," he said to her.

"Stop it Miguel," she said harshly.

"Stop what?" he asked innocently.

"Stop pretending that nothing has happened! That you didn't leave me over a year ago, wait until your girlfriend died, and then come running back to me!" Kay whispered angrily.

"Kay, let me explain…" he started to say, but she interrupted him.

"No Miguel. I don't need your explanations right now. I am going to finish this reception and leave for my honeymoon. You will not ruin my wedding day!" she hissed. "We will talk when I get back!" And with that, she walked away, leaving him staring.

**A/N: I know these chapters are short, but they most likely will all be. I have stuff to write about, just not as much as my other fanfics. There's a possibility that this does not have very many chapters, but I will finish it, don't worry. **


	4. Everything

**Chapter Four: Everything**

**A/N: Just to warn everyone, this chapter may get a little R rated here…**

Jack picked Kay up and carried her over the threshold of their honeymoon suite in the Caribbean. It had a huge bathtub and Jacuzzi, a kitchen, living room, and beautiful bedroom with a huge bed. He walked over to the bed and playfully dropped her onto it, then jumped on after her. He threw himself on top of her and started to kiss her.

"Wait a minute," she said in between kisses.

"Don't make me wait Kay!" Jack groaned impatiently.

"I just have to slip into something more comfortable," she said, grinning.

"Be my guest," he said. Kay hopped off the bed. She was still in her wedding dress and began to unzip it. She didn't bother going into the bathroom to change. Jack watched her undress almost as if he were hypnotized. He quickly jumped off the bed and pulled his shirt off, revealing his muscular body. His pants were off quicker than his shirt, and within a minute, both of them were ready. Jack was in his boxers, and Kay was in her black lacy bra and underwear that she'd bought for this day.

"Okay, now I'm ready," she said. Jack hurried over to his wife and kissed her hard. They continued to make out as they blindly made their way back to the bed. The back of Kay's legs finally hit the bed and Jack slowly leaned her backwards until she was laying on it. Once again, he got on top of her. His hands traveled over her entire body as he kissed her. She reached down and smoothly pulled his boxers off as he undid her bra. One of his hands made its way to her underwear and he swiftly got them off.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear.

"I love you too." Jack put himself inside of Kay and they had sex. To her it was like the best night she'd ever had. It was even better than being with Miguel. _Don't think about Miguel right now! _She screamed inside her head. From then on, all thoughts of Miguel dissolved and Kay focused on the man she loved. After their passionate sex, they laid in bed snuggled together, trying to watch a movie, but unable to keep their hands (or lips) off of each other. An hour later, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Jack told her. He was getting up when Kay grabbed his arm and dragged him back down. She kissed him, thrusting her tongue into his mouth.

"Don't be gone too long," she said. Jack got off of the bed and pulled his boxers on to answer the door. Two minutes later, he wheeled a cart in that had their dinner on it. Kay found his shirt and put it on, buttoning it up. She followed Jack into the kitchen and sat at the table. "Did you order this?" she asked. He nodded his head yes and she pulled him over to her and kissed him once again. "I love you." Jack kissed her back and got two candles out of the cabinet. He lit them and placed them in the middle of the table, and put their dinner on it. For an appetizer he ordered the Baby Spinach Caesar Salad, for the main course he got grilled fillet mignon with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, and for desert, he ordered her favorite: Death By Chocolate. There were two bottles of wine (one white and one red): Lincourt Chardonnay and Crosspoint Merlot. They ate dinner and laughed about their favorite wedding and after-wedding moments.

"That was delicious," Kay said as she stood up after they finished. "Thank you so much."

"Anything for the woman I love," he said.

"How about a dip in the Jacuzzi before bed?" Kay asked.

"Ever had sex in the water?" Jack answered her question with a question. She smiled at him and unbuttoned his shirt that she was wearing and let it fall to the ground.

"There's a first time for everything."

**A/N: I know it's short but I liked that as the ending of the chapter. I think this was one of my better chapters but let me know. Also, to the reviewer who asked if I would put Kay and Fox together…that's not going to happen! She just got married, sorry! **


	5. Let Her Go

**Chapter Five: Let Her Go **

After a wonderful week in the Caribbean, Kay and Jack returned to their home in Harmony. All of Kay and Maria's belongings were moved into Jack's house while they were away. After spending a few more days off, Jack and Kay returned to work at the Police Station, and Tabitha offered to watch Maria during the day.

Kay knew she had to talk to Miguel. She needed to explain to him that he wasn't in her life anymore. She called him a week after she had gone back to work. They decided to meet at the park on Kay's day off, and she brought Maria with her. Kay and Miguel were watching their daughter play from a bench.

"Miguel, why did you come back?" Kay asked, breaking the awkward silence between them.

"I told you at your wedding. I came back for you Kay. I love you," he said.

"That's bullshit Miguel! You and I both know that. You left to chase off after Charity. Not only did you leave me, but you left your daughter. She doesn't even know you," Kay yelled.

"I want her to know me Kay," Miguel said, looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Jack is her father. She loves him and I'm not going to confuse her by telling her about you. It's not fair to her. If you love her then you'll let her go. You'll let us both go," she said.

"Look. I made a huge mistake by leaving you both. The only thing I can do is say that I'm sorry. I don't want to leave you again, and I won't."

"It's too late for that Miguel! You are not coming back into our lives and that's final! I am going to live a peaceful life with Maria and Jack and you're not going to come between us. You don't love me like he does. You and I both know that you always loved Charity, and now that she's dead, you come running back, pretending that you never left. It's not going to work that way," she finished and stood up.

"Kay, wait!" he yelled, grabbing onto her arm. Kay tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong. Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to fight him. As soon as he saw her tears, he immediately let go. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you. I never meant to. Please forgive me."

"You know what? I will forgive you for leaving because it helped me see that there was someone else out there for me. I have a wonderful husband who loves me and a beautiful daughter. I couldn't ask for anything else. Thank you Miguel for giving me a great life. But I'm sorry; you're just not a part of it," Kay told him.

"Mommy!" Maria yelled as she ran up to Kay.

"Hi Maria," Miguel said to his daughter. She immediately ran behind Kay and hid.

"She doesn't know you Miguel," Kay whispered to him. "Let her go." She turned to her daughter and took her by the hand. They walked away, Miguel watching them until they disappeared. Neither of them looked back.

**A/N: No complaining from anyone! All the chapters will be really short. This story will be over soon; my Degrassi fics are more important to me! **


	6. Taking My Life Away

**Chapter Six: Taking My Life Away **

**A/N: I just realized that I made a mistake in this story. In chapter 2, I said that Whitney got her son back from Chad, but then in the next chapter, I said that Chad left Harmony with the baby. I'll just make it be that Chad left Harmony after Whitney took the baby from him. It doesn't really matter much because this story isn't about them at all. **

"Theresa, I need your help," Miguel said to his sister the next day. "Will you help me?" he asked.

"Depends on what it is," she told him. Jane was taking a nap and little Ethan was coloring at the kitchen table. Theresa motioned for Miguel to sit down on the couch next to her.

When Ethan and Theresa finally got married, they bought a big house of their own to fill with children. When Gwen was convicted, she knew that Ethan would end up with Theresa, so she confessed to Ethan that she and her mother were the ones that used Theresa's computer to tell the tabloids he wasn't a Crane. Ethan was devastated and signed divorce papers that same day.

"I need you to help me take Maria away from Kay and Jack," he blurted out. Theresa shook her head.

"Absolutely not," she told him. "I am not going to help take a child away from her mother."

"Why not Theresa? I'm her father and I deserve to be in her life just as much as Kay does," Miguel argued.

"I might agree with you if you hadn't abandoned Maria when she was just a little baby. She needed you but you turned your back on her. Your daughter should be the most important person in your life, but instead you chose a woman over her. I hated it when you did that Miguel," she explained.

"But, you're my sister. Won't you help me at all?" he pleaded.

"I said no and I mean it. Even if I thought you should be in Maria's life, Kay is Ethan's half-sister. I wouldn't do anything to hurt him or a member of his family. I know how much it hurt when Gwen declared me an unfit mother and got my son taken away from me," she paused and turned to look at little Ethan, who waved at her. She waved back and continued. "So I'm sorry, but I won't help you."

"That's it! You're a genius Theresa!" Miguel said and stood up.

"What are you talking about?" she asked suspiciously.

"I'll just say that Kay is an unfit mother and Maria would be better off living with me. Thanks for your help," he said excitedly and made his way to the door.

"Miguel! I never said…" Theresa started to say, but he ignored her.

"I'll talk to you later sis," he said as he shut the door behind him.

"That'll never work! She's a wonderful mother!" Theresa yelled after her brother, but he pretended that he didn't hear her, got into his car, and sped off.

* * *

A few hours later, Kay was sitting in the kitchen, making dinner for herself, Jack, and Maria. A knock on the door pulled her away from her cooking. She wiped off her hands and answered the door.

"I have some papers for Kay Bennet," a man said.

"That's me," Kay told him. The man handed her an envelope and had her sign his paper. She thanked him and closed the door. Then she walked back to the kitchen, ripping open the envelope. After quickly scanning the letter, Kay gasped, and tears came to her eyes. "I don't believe it," she said quietly.

"What is it honey?" Jack asked her, worried.

"Miguel is suing me for custody of Maria!" she exclaimed.

"WHAT?" Jack yelled. Kay handed him the papers and slowly sat down, burying her head in her hands. "He can't do this!" he said angrily.

"Well, it looks like he can," Kay told her husband sadly. "And he is."

"Don't worry baby. I know that he won't be able to prove you're an unfit mother! You're a great mother, and Maria doesn't even know him," Jack assured her. Although Maria didn't know exactly what was going on, she could tell that her parents were in pain. She began to cry and Kay picked her up.

"What's wrong honey?" she asked her daughter.

"Mommy and Daddy sad," Maria said, touching her mother's tears on her cheek.

"It's okay Maria, it's all going to be okay," Jack told her.

"If Miguel takes her away from me, it'll be like he's taking my life away," Kay whispered in Jack's ear, unable to stop crying.


	7. The Battle

**Chapter Seven: The Battle **

In just one week, Kay and Jack found themselves sitting in a court room. On the other side of the room was Miguel. Theresa had offered to watch Maria since she felt guilty about what had happened. Kay didn't blame her at all. She knew Miguel was just angry because Kay didn't want him in Maria's life. Miguel was the first to take the stand.

"Can you tell me, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald, why Mrs. Bennet is an unfit mother?" Jack's lawyer asked him.

"Well," Miguel began. "She's never home to be with Maria, and her husband isn't either. They both work all the time and are never there," he said. He wasn't sure if that was true or not, but he had to say something. "I'd also like to point out that while Kay and Jack are here, Maria is at my sister's house. Someone from **my** family is watching her. They don't even have a real babysitter for her; the woman that watches her already has a young child to take care of, and Maria barely knows her. When I'm at work, my mother, sister, and brother are all willing to watch Maria because she is family."

"I see," the lawyer said. "Don't you agree that Maria would be better off with two parents rather than one?" he asked.

"She will have two parents," Miguel lied. "I'm getting married soon, and my fiancé can't wait to be a mother to Maria. Besides, even if she would be raised by a single parent, she'd still turn out fine. My mother raised five children on her own, and we've all become successful."

"That's all, Your Honor," the lawyer said. Now it was time for Miguel's lawyer to question him.

"Miguel, how does it feel to be ripped away from your daughter, your only child?" she asked him.

"It's horrible. I wouldn't want anyone to ever feel this much pain," he said, shedding a few fake tears. "I just don't understand why she won't even let me have joint custody of Maria. Then I wouldn't be forced to do this," he said, between sobs.

"I can tell that you're too upset to continue. I don't have any more questions," she said to the judge.

"You may step down," Judge Scott said. Now it was Kay's turn to speak. She was furious at the way Miguel had just lied and pretended to be so upset.

"I only have one question for you," Miguel's lawyer told her. "Why would you ever want to put Miguel through all that pain?"

"That is all an act," Kay said. "Miguel has never cared that much about his daughter. He left her, left us, when his girlfriend left Harmony. He abandoned Maria when she was just a baby to chase after my cousin. Then when my cousin died, he came running back and pretended that he loved me so he could get Maria. I'm not letting him have her," Kay finished.

"So, Miguel's girlfriend, who also happened to be your cousin, died recently?" she asked Kay.

"Yes, she did," Kay answered truthfully.

"Now I can see why you're keeping Miguel away from his daughter. You truly are a heartless person that you don't care if a family member just died. I have nothing more to say," the woman said and sat back down. Kay sighed.

_Great,_ she thought to herself. _How am I going to get out of this one? _Since she had already said that Miguel abandoned his daughter, Jack's lawyer didn't have any questions for her. It was up to Jack to set things right.

"Mr. Bennet, in your opinion, is your wife a bad mother?" his lawyer asked.

"Of course not! Kay is a wonderful mother. She is so caring towards Maria, and every second of the day is worried about her well being. There is no way that she could ever be labeled an unfit mother," Jack answered.

"And is it true, what Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald said, that you and your wife are always at work?" he asked.

"That is a complete lie. We both work at the police station. Kay works Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm. I work the same days, only from 3 pm until 9 pm. Maria is only with a babysitter for one hour each day. We are both home on most weekends, and the rare times that I do have to work on a Saturday, Kay is home with her. I would also like to add that her babysitter is not a complete stranger, as Miguel stated. Her name is Tabitha, and Kay lived with her ever since Maria was born. She has always helped Kay out, and Maria loves her dearly." Kay was so happy that Jack was turning everything around.

"No further questions Your Honor," Jack's lawyer said.

"Now, Jackson, can you tell me why Maria is better off with you than with her biological father?" Miguel's lawyer asked as she stepped forwards.

"Just because Miguel is her biological father, doesn't mean that he's a father at all. He left her when she was only a few months old, in order to chase after his girlfriend. I have been with Maria now since she was one-year-old. She calls me 'Daddy,' and doesn't even know who Miguel is. When he said 'hello' to her the other day in the park, she hid behind Kay because we have taught her to never talk to strangers. In her eyes, he is a complete stranger. I am her father, and I have also adopted her. So she has two very fit parents to take care of her, and would never be happy if she was turned over to someone she doesn't even know," he finished. Kay smiled as she saw that Miguel's lawyer was speechless.

"No further questions," she said and sat down. "This doesn't look good," she whispered to Miguel, but everyone heard.

"After hearing all of your statements, it is obvious where Maria should be placed. I will not put her with someone she does not even recognize, but I want to see this for myself. You may let them in," Judge Scott said to the Court Marshall at the back of the room. Kay, Jack, and Miguel all turned to see Theresa led in carrying Maria. The judge motioned for her to come right up to the bench. "Do what we discussed on the phone," she told Theresa.

"Okay," Theresa agreed. She set Maria down on the floor, equally distant from Jack and Miguel. "Who's that?" she asked her, pointing to Jack.

"Daddy!" Maria yelled excitedly.

"Okay honey. Now how is that?" Theresa asked, pointing at Miguel this time.

"Stranger!" Maria cried and tried to hide behind Theresa. "I scared!" she yelled.

"I can see that the child is obviously frightened. I award permanent custody to Jackson and Kay Bennet. There is no need for Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald to even visit Maria. However, it is up to the Bennets as to whether or not he can see her. This case is dismissed. I wish you well with your daughter," she said to Jack and Kay before leaving the room.

"Go to Mommy and Daddy," Theresa told Maria. She obeyed and ran over to Kay and Jack and they each held onto one of her hands and left the court room. Theresa walked over to her brother, who slammed his fist onto the table and put his head down.

"Miguel, I told you not to do it, but you didn't listen. You can't take a child away from its mother. You just can't," Theresa told him. He picked up his head and spoke.

"Oh, don't worry about me. I'll get my revenge," he said and smiled. Theresa left the room, her eyes full of fear. She had to warn Kay and Jack before it was too late.

**A/N: Hope you still like the story...please review and let me know. **


	8. Revenge

**Chapter Eight: Revenge**

When Theresa told Jack what Miguel had said, he waved it off. He told her that Miguel couldn't do anything to them or he'd go to jail. It was now two weeks later, and Miguel hadn't carried out his threat. Kay and Jack had been married for a month. It was Saturday night, and Jack had just been called into work.

"Bye Kay, bye Maria," he said, kissing them both.

"We'll see you later," Kay said.

"Bye Daddy!" Maria yelled as he went out the door. Kay looked at the clock. It was eight o'clock already.

"Okay honey, it's time for you to go to bed," she told Maria.

She walked upstairs to Maria's bedroom, changed her into her pajamas, and put her in her bed. She read her The Princess and the Pea, her favorite bedtime story, and by the end, Maria was fast asleep. Kay kissed her forehead and turned on her night light. She walked away, turned off the light, and quietly closed the door behind her.

Kay went back downstairs, got herself a snack, and sat down on the living room couch to watch some television.

* * *

Miguel was hiding in the bushes as he watched Jack go to work. He had to act quickly since he was the one who called him in. As soon as Jack got to the police station, he would realize that something was up. He waited patiently for about fifteen minutes, until he saw Maria's bedroom light go off. Through the window he saw Kay sit down and turn the TV on. He put a ski mask on over his head, and patted the gun in his pocket, just to make sure it was there.

"This is probably the stupidest thing I've ever done," he said out loud to himself. "But I have to get my revenge." He stood up and tried the door, but it was locked. Pulling the gun out of his pocket, he aimed and shot twice, breaking the lock. _Those were the only two bullets in the gun, I'm not going to hurt anyone,_ he assured himself. He ran into the house to find Kay in front of him, startled by the noise. She screamed and he pointed the gun at her.

"Shut up bitch," he hissed.

"Miguel?" she asked. "What are you doing?"

_Shit, she recognized my voice, _he thought to himself. He waved the gun at her and yelled. "I said shut up!" The gun went off as he waved it. Miguel had forgotten that there were three bullets in it. Kay fell to the ground, and hit her head, blacking out. Miguel ran up the stairs to Maria's bedroom and gently lifted her from her bed, grabbing a stuffed animal near her pillow. She was such a heavy sleeper that she never woke up. Just then, Miguel heard a car pulling into the driveway. He saw that it was Jack and ran back down the stairs. He was out the back door the second Jack walked in the front. He ran around the block to his car, stuffed Maria inside, put a seatbelt on her, jumped in, and drove away.

* * *

"Kay!" Jack yelled as he saw his wife lying on the floor. He saw a puddle of blood and ran to her side. He checked to see if she was breathing, and she was. He called her name a few more times as he dialed 911. When he could hear the sirens, he hung up the phone and Kay's arm moved. He yelled her name one more time, and she opened her eyes.

"Miguel…" she whispered.

"What?" Jack asked her.

"It was Miguel." Jack heard her the second time, and his fists instantly balled up.

"Jack, check on Maria," she told him as the paramedics rushed in the door. Jack ran upstairs and into his daughter's room. She wasn't there. He ran back down the stairs, to see the paramedics wheeling Kay out on a stretcher.

"Is she going to be alright?" he asked the woman closest to him.

"She should be. She was only shot in her left arm, but we have to get to the hospital and get the bullet out. Are you her husband?" the woman asked.

"Yes, I am. I'll follow you to the hospital," he told her and they left. Before leaving, Jack dialed Sam's number. As soon as he answered, Jack started yelling hysterically. "Miguel came here tonight! He shot Kay in the arm and kidnapped Maria! I have to go to the hospital, please find Miguel and our daughter!"

"Jack, calm down. I'll get all my men on it," he told him, trying to calm himself at the same time. Jack slammed the phone down and jumped in his car. He got to the hospital in record time, and tried to get to Kay. She was in surgery, and he had to wait until she was out. The doctor came towards him and told him that she was going to be fine, and he could see her now. Jack quietly walked into her room.

"Where is she?" was the first thing she asked him. He looked at her sadly, trying not to cry.

"He took her," Jack whispered. Kay immediately burst into tears. Jack walked over and sat on the bed next to her, pulling her into a loving embrace. "I called your dad, he'll find her," he whispered in her ear and kissed the top of her head.

* * *

By the time Kay had gotten out of surgery, Miguel was already out of Harmony. There were no police cars around, and he was grateful for that. He got on the highway and drove for hours, finally stopping to rest in Jamestown, New York, which was on the border of Pennsylvania. He decided that he could stop for the night, and continue his drive in the morning.

He checked into a hotel under the name of Nathaniel Johnson. He had Maria wrapped up in a blanket in case she was recognized. He brought her up to his room and put her to bed on a pile of pillows on the floor. He was afraid that she would fall off of the bed if he put her up there. He lay down and went to sleep, anxious for the next day to come.

* * *

Back in Harmony, Sam knew that Miguel had gotten out of town, and most likely out of state by now. He issued an amber alert, and sent out photos of Miguel and Maria. All police in the surrounding states were to look for them. He was now at the hospital with Kay and Jack.

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" he asked Kay.

"I'm fine dad; I just want to know if Maria is okay. I can't stand to think about what could happen to her," she answered.

"You and I both know that Miguel wouldn't do anything to hurt her. He's just mad that you were going to shut him out of her life," Sam told her.

"Don't worry, we'll find him," Jack reassured her. "Does it hurt a lot?" he asked, about her gunshot wound.

"Not even half as much as that metal rod that went through me," she complained. "And oh, look, Miguel did that one too. Now I really know why I hate him so much," Kay said.

"Don't use that word. It's so strong. Miguel is just a scared kid who has made some stupid mistakes," her dad said.

"I just hope Maria's not really scared. She's old enough to know if he's 'being bad' or just friendly. If he lays one hand on her I swear I'll ki…"

"That's enough Kay. You need to get some rest," Sam said sternly. "I'm gonna go back to the station so I can be there if any calls come in. I love you," he kissed Kay on the cheek and left.

* * *

Early morning came quickly and Miguel woke before Maria did. He picked her up and put her on the bed. She stirred a few minutes later and was completely awake. As soon as she opened her eyes, she became panicked, unfamiliar with her surroundings. The first thing she did was sit up and cry when she saw Miguel.

"It's okay sweetie," he cooed at her. "I'm your daddy."

"Not Daddy!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "Stranger!" Before she could scream any more, Miguel clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Now Maria, you can't be screaming like that. I'm friends with your mommy and she asked me to pick you up. We're going to see her in a little bit okay?" Maria nodded her head yes. "No more screaming, you might wake someone up," he said to her in a soothing tone. Miguel lifted his hand away from her mouth, and Maria stayed completely silent.

Miguel left all of his stuff in the car so that he could make a fast getaway if they were discovered. He brought Maria downstairs to check out of the hotel. As they approached the desk, she started screaming again.

"Stranger! Stranger!" she yelled over and over again, struggling to get away from Miguel. When the concierge at the desk raised his eyebrow in question, Miguel lied to him.

"I taught her to be afraid of strangers, and you're a stranger," he explained. "I'm really sorry about that. I better get her to the car before she wakes anyone up.

"That's quite alright sir. I hope you'll come and stay with us again!" he yelled after Miguel as they walked out. Once Miguel put Maria in the car, she stopped screaming because she knew it wasn't doing her any good.


	9. Runaway

**Chapter Nine: Runaway**

So far there hadn't been any sightings of Miguel and Maria. Kay stayed at the hospital overnight, and they released her in the morning. Her arm was bandaged up and in a sling. She sat at home on the couch, right next to the phone, with the news on. She was waiting for any sign of her daughter. Jack and Sam were at the station, constantly calling people. Jack was currently sitting at his desk with his head in his hands.

"We'll find her," Sam said as he approached him. "Don't worry." He patted him on the back.

"I think I'll call Kay and see how she's holding up," he said, picking his head up.

"Hey Sam! We need you over here for a minute!" Luis yelled.

"It looks like we have a call," Sam said to Jack who jumped up from his desk. They both headed over to Luis.

"There's a guy on the phone who runs a hotel in New York. He said he saw Miguel and Maria. He was suspicious because Maria kept yelling 'stranger' but Miguel lied said he taught her that," Luis explained.

"Let me talk with him," Jack said. Luis handed the phone over to him. They talked for a few minutes, and when he hung up, Jack told them that the police all over New York had a description of the car and plate number. They were confident that they could catch Miguel within the hour.

* * *

"We're almost at our next stop Maria," Miguel said softly to his daughter. He was so tired from the previous night of driving that he only drove for an hour before he had to stop. When he looked in the rearview mirror, he noticed that Maria was slumped over, fast asleep. She looked so beautiful when she was asleep. A perfect mixture of him and Kay.

_Kay, _he thought to himself. _If you had just let me see her, none of this would be happening. Now I'm going to take her far away and I will be her family. _Miguel's plan was to drive all the way to Mexico, where he would buy a small apartment with the money he had been saving up. It was the money Kay had refused to take when he sent it to her.

Miguel turned the radio on for a minute. He heard the amber alert and immediately took a different route. He knew that everyone in the hotels and motels would be looking for him and his car, so he had to stay hidden. After driving for a few more minutes, he turned left onto a dirt road, where he saw some woods to his right. He drove straight off the road, and through the woods, until the space between the trees got too small to fit the car through.

_This is perfect,_ he thought. _No one will find us here, and we can rest for a little while._ He got out of the car and opened the door to the backseat, where he unbuckled Maria and laid her down across the seat so she would be more comfortable. Closing the door, he then returned to the driver's side, in case he needed to make a quick getaway. He positioned his seat so that it would lay all the way back and quickly fell asleep.

Only fifteen minutes later, Maria opened her eyes and stretched, finished with her little nap. She almost screamed again, after forgetting where she was, but saw Miguel asleep in the front seat. Even though she was only two years old, she was extremely smart for her age.

She silently crept into the front on the passenger side. She pushed all of the buttons until she heard the 'click' that meant the doors were unlocked. Carefully and quietly, she opened the door and jumped out of the car. She left the door open, fearing that the noise it would make when it shut would wake the stranger up.

All Maria could see around her were trees. She was so small and the trees were so big, and she started to cry. She knew she had to get away from the stranger, and that's all she could think about. So she did the only thing she could do; she ran.

She ran as fast as she could, and was constantly turning around. When she couldn't see the car anymore, she stopped crying, but kept running. What she didn't know was that she was running away from the road.

* * *

Miguel opened his eyes slowly and rubbed them. He sat up quickly when he noticed the passenger door open. _I didn't leave that open, did I? _He asked himself. That's when he turned around and saw that Maria wasn't in the back. He instantly panicked. He jumped out of the car and ran, but in the opposite direction that Maria did. He was running towards the road, and didn't realize it until he slammed right into someone.

"That's the guy!" whoever the person was yelled. Miguel found himself turned around, and felt handcuffs slapped around his wrists. "You are under arrest," the man began to say. He read Miguel his rights, and then the other officer realized something.

"Where's the little girl?" she asked Miguel, anger in her voice.

"I…I don't know," he answered her truthfully. The male officer gave him a shove and Miguel fell down to his knees.

"Where is she?" he asked, louder than his partner had.

"I'm telling you that I don't know!" Miguel cried. "She ran away from the car while I was sleeping…" he trailed off.

"Where's the car?" Officer Perez, the woman, asked.

"Over there," Miguel answered, motioning with his head. The man, Officer Mayetta, made Miguel lead them to the car. The searched the surrounding area for Maria, but couldn't find her.

"We've got to get him all the way back to Harmony PD. We'll have to get a rescue team out here to look for her," Officer Mayetta said. Officer Perez called for a search and rescue team, consisting of about ten people, and they showed up within five minute. An ambulance was brought as well, in case Maria was hurt. The team brought their trucks and the ambulance as far into the woods as possible, and began searching for Maria.

Meanwhile, Officer's Perez and Mayetta called Sam Bennet, explaining the situation. Sam and Luis were going to meet the Officers half way to Harmony, and take custody of Miguel.

* * *

Maria soon became tired of running and was getting slower by the minute. She was so young, and despite her intelligence, was not looking where she was running. All of a sudden, she tripped on a tree root and fell. But she didn't fall to the ground. She fell straight into a river.

Poor Maria did not know how to swim yet. However, it wouldn't have done her any good, because when she landed in the river, her head hit a rock and she was unconscious. Night was beginning to fall, and the water was terribly cold, as Maria Bennet floated on the surface, the river brining her farther away from safety.


	10. Why?

**Chapter Ten: Why? **

"Why did you do it Miguel?" Luis asked as he placed his brother into the cruiser.

"I had to get back at her. She wasn't going to let me see my daughter," he said, as if that justified his actions.

"Yeah, well it was incredibly stupid and now you'll probably go to jail. Now you definitely won't see her ever again," Luis told him. Sam walked over and got into the driver's seat of the cruiser.

"I was just talking to Officer Mayetta. He said that Maria hasn't been found yet," Sam told Luis.

"I hope she's okay," Miguel whispered from the back. Sam turned around and glared at him.

"This is all your fault you little asshole. If anything happens to my granddaughter, I'll personally see to it that you pay." He turned back around and started to car, turning it around and heading back to Harmony. They probably wouldn't get there until sometime the next day. Luis and Sam switched places driving when one of them got tired.

* * *

"What's that over there?" a rescue worker yelled. A spotlight shone on the area he was pointing to.

"It's the girl!" someone else yelled. Five people jumped into the water and carefully lifted Maria out. She was still unconscious, and extremely cold. She was loaded onto a stretcher and the ambulance drove out to the dirt road, where a helicopter was landing. She was airlifted to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

* * *

The phone rang and Kay instantly grabbed it.

"Hello?" she asked anxiously.

"Kay, it's me. Miguel is in custody now. He was found in the woods in New York. His car was there, but…" Jack trailed off.

"But what?" Kay asked. "Where's Maria?"

"They don't know," Jack sighed. Kay burst into tears and almost dropped the phone. When her hand became steady enough, she lifted it back to her ear. "I'm coming home now to wait with you. Sam and Luis are gone right now getting Miguel."

"Okay," Kay managed to say. "I'll be waiting." About fifteen minutes later, Jack burst into the house. Kay ran to him and threw her arms around him. They hugged for almost five minutes, simply holding each other. As soon as they sat down on the couch, the phone rang. Both Jack and Kay reached for it, but Kay got it first.

"Hello?"

"Is this Mr. or Mrs. Bennet?" a woman asked.

"Yes. This is Mrs. Bennet. Who is this?"

"My name is Officer Perez. We found Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald about three hours ago…"

"Have you found my baby yet? Please tell me you found her!" Kay yelled into the phone.

"We did find her…" Kay interrupted the woman again.

"Is she okay? I'll just die if she isn't!"

"She was found in the river and has been airlifted to Mount Sinai Hospital. I can't tell you anything more; that's all I know for now," Officer Perez explained.

"Thank you so much." Kay hung the phone up. "We have to go to New York," she told Jack.

"Where is she?" he asked, tears filling his eyes.

"Mount Sinai Hospital. They…they found her in the river. I hope it's not too late."

"It can't be, it just can't." Kay and Jack quickly left the house and drove to the train station. They took the train to New York City, and the ride lasted a half hour. They burst into the hospital and ran to the emergency room.

"We're looking for Maria Bennet," Kay blurted out to the receptionist.

"And you are…?" the woman asked.

"Her parents!" Jack yelled. He flipped open his wallet and showed the woman his ID and badge.

"Room 212, second floor." Jack and Kay ran to the elevator and when it didn't come fast enough, decided to take the stairs. They found Maria's room and went inside.


	11. Getting Her Back

**Chapter Eleven: Getting Her Back**

Kay gasped and burst into tears when she saw her daughter. She was hooked up to all kinds of machines and had a tube down her throat to help her breathe. Her skin almost looked blue and she looked so helpless. Jack put his arms around Kay to comfort her. A doctor walked in to talk with them.

"Is she going to be okay?" Kay asked the doctor before he could even say anything.

"When Maria came to us, she was unconscious and wasn't breathing. Her pulse was weak and she was freezing. Staying in the water for so long almost killed her," Dr. Stewart explained.

"Just tell us if she's going to live," Jack said harshly. He wasn't sure that he wanted to hear all of these details. Dr. Stewart gave him a look and went back to talking.

"Right now Maria can't breathe on her own. However, her body temperature has been brought up and her pulse has strengthened. I have no reason to believe that she won't fully recover, but for now, we just have to wait. Right now she's unconscious, but if you talk to her, she might wake up. Give it a try and come find me if you have any questions or if she wakes up." He left the room and Kay went over to her daughter, pulling a chair up next to her bed. Jack did the same.

"Hey honey, Mommy's here now," Kay said to her and brushed some hair out of her face. "Daddy's here too." Jack grabbed Maria's hand in his and held it.

"We're waiting for you to wake up baby. We're here for you," he said to her.

* * *

"You're gonna do this to your little brother?" Miguel yelled as Luis closed and locked the cell door.

"You did this to yourself Miguel!" Luis yelled right back. Miguel was going to be kept in the cell until his trial, and then would most likely be moved to a prison in Boston.

"We can talk this over bro. Make a deal," Miguel pleaded.

"I can't make a deal with you. Look, you're my brother, but you messed up. I'm just doing my job here," Luis explained. He turned around and walked away, leaving Miguel all alone with the exception of the guard patrolling the room.

Miguel sat down and buried his head in his hands. _Maria has to be okay, _he thought. _She has to! This is all my fault. What was I thinking? _He lay down onto the hard, cold, bed in the cell and began to cry.

* * *

"Jack! I think her hand moved!" Kay yelled. Jack jumped and woke up. He was so tired that he had dozed off, but Kay couldn't sleep. "Look! It moved again!" Jack rubbed his eyes and looked at Maria, who wasn't moving at all.

"I think it was your imagination," he told her. Then he was surprised when he saw Maria's eyes open. "She's awake!" he yelled.

"Maria! Mommy and Daddy are here!" Kay yelled to her daughter. All Maria could do was cry. "What's wrong with her?" Kay asked Jack.

"I'll go get the doctor. I think it's the tube," he said. A minute later he returned with Dr. Stewart.

"Okay Maria," the doctor said to her. "When I count to three, I want you to blow with your mouth as hard as you can," he said and demonstrated. "Do you know what to do?" he asked her. Maria nodded as best as she could. "1…2…3."

Maria blew as instructed, and Dr. Stewart pulled the tube out of her mouth. She began coughing but stopped crying. Jack and Kay smiled. They knew she was going to be alright.

"When can we take her home," Kay immediately asked.

"I'd like to keep her here one more day to make sure that she has fully recovered. I'll come back and check on her later." Dr. Stewart left the room and both Kay and Jack hugged their daughter.

* * *

Three days later, Miguel pleaded guilty to his charges and was now standing in front of a judge, waiting to hear his sentence.

"Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald," the judge began. "You are sentenced to ten years in a medium security prison without parole," she finished.

He wasn't even given any time to say goodbye to his family. Pilar, Theresa, Paloma, and Luis were all there, tears in their eyes. Sam was there as well, but with a huge smile on his face. He smirked and waved to Miguel. As soon as he was taken away, everyone had to leave. Sam hurried to Kay's house to see his granddaughter.


	12. At Peace

**Chapter Twelve: At Peace**

Three weeks had passed since Jack and Kay brought their daughter home and Miguel was sentenced. Kay was leaving Harmony Hospital, where Dr. Russell had just taken her stitches out. She had also done a complete physical while she was there.

Kay stretched out on the couch with Maria asleep on her chest. Jack was at work, and Kay had just dozed off when the phone rang. She reached up and answered it, her eyes still closed.

"Hi Kay, it's Dr. Russell. I just needed to call you about something that came to my attention," Eve said.

"Okay, go ahead. I'm listening," Kay told her, still half asleep. After Eve spoke, Kay's eyes shot open. "But I thought that was impossible!" she yelled. Maria woke up and started to cry, but fell back asleep a moment later.

"I thought it was too. I guess it's a miracle," Dr. Russell said.

"Thanks for the news. I have to call Jack now," Kay said and quickly hung up.

"Why do you have to call me?" Jack asked as he walked in the door.

"I'm so glad you're home!" Kay whispered as loud as she could. "I have to tell you something, but can you get Maria off of me first?" she asked. Jack lifted his daughter up and Kay stood. He put Maria back onto the couch and followed his wife into the kitchen.

"What is it that you wanted to tell me?" he asked anxiously.

"Jack…I'm pregnant!" Kay yelled.

"What?" he asked. "But I thought that…"

"So did I," she told him. "Dr. Russell said it's a miracle. I can't even believe it myself."

"But are you one hundred percent sure?" Jack asked skeptically.

"Positive." Kay threw her arms around her husband and he kissed her passionately. They were going to have a child of their own. And he couldn't be happier.

* * *

"Just one more push Kay!" Dr. Russell told her. Nine months had passed and Kay was finally having her baby.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten," Jack counted out as Kay pushed. Sam, Jessica, and Maria were out in the waiting room with Jack's family. All of a sudden, Kay and Jack heard crying. Their baby was finally here.

"It's a boy!" Dr. Russell yelled excitedly. "Congratulations you two." She placed the baby on Kay's chest, who held him and cried happy tears.

"We have a son," she whispered to Jack who kissed her lightly.

"He's beautiful," Jack told her. "What are we going to name him?"

"I was thinking Maxwell Alijah Bennet," Kay whispered.

"Hey there Max," Jack said to his son. "It's perfect." He kissed Kay on her forehead, and then kissed Max.

* * *

A few hours later, after Max was cleaned up and everyone had visited him, Kay and Jack were sitting side by side on her bed. Kay was holding Max and Jack was holding Maria. Both of their children were fast asleep, but Jack and Kay were just gazing at them, smiling and watching them sleep. After a few minutes, Kay drifted off to sleep, and so did Jack.

Kay finally had the family she had always dreamed of.

**A/N: I've finally finished this story! How was it?**


End file.
